


Hydra

by Forthelore



Series: Peter Parker [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Bucky likes Peter as a friend, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Peter is a Little Shit, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Steve Rogers, Protective Tony Stark, Steve can't understand why Tony is so protective, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-06-15 10:11:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15410655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Forthelore/pseuds/Forthelore
Summary: “It’s fine Mr. Stark,” Peter mumbled, shooting a web to the brake of the car so that the vehicle wouldn’t accidentally lurch forward at any point. “I’m on my way home!”“Kid, if Aunt Hottie calls me...I swear...I will ground you from the lab for a month!”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It's here! It's Here! <3 The Story that everyone has been waiting for! It took a while to really plot it out, and it left me feeling a bit more picky! And after SEVERAL false starts (because wow! This was harder than I thought!), I finally decided! ;) If you guys have read Peter Parker, then you know which chapter this is based off of!

Chapter One: Followed

Peter sighed happily as he stared out at the sky scrapers that littered New York City’s skyline. It was his home; a city that he had vowed to himself he would protect with his life. And to this point, honestly, he had. He had stopped Toomes, had helped so many tourists find their way safely to their hotels, or the elderly cross the road. He had stopped kidnappings, and bombs, and bank robberies. And how many people could say that they had been saved by Spider-Man by now? The numbers were adding up, and every day Peter checked his fan pages the numbers were higher. 

It gave him a sense of fulfillment. He was doing what he felt he was destined for. Sure, he could get a job at Stark Industries after he graduated high school—which Tony was absolutely adamant he do, and May heavily agreed with him. It had gotten Tony a point on the Make May Happy Scoreboard. Especially now that she was finding herself more and more involved in Tony’s life once she began to date Happy—not that Mr. Stark really knew.

In a sense, looking out at the skyline and how full it was of life, made Peter think of his own life and how he was finally happy with where he was. He had finally worked out how to balance his school life with his Spidey life, and how to still make Decathalon practice in the afternoons. It had been a struggle, but it was starting to settle down. It was a nice sense of normalcy.

“Peter,” Karen’s voice hummed in his ears softly. “It’s almost eleven o’clock. You should start heading home soon, or you won’t make it back in time for curfew.”

“Right,” Peter hummed standing from his position. The building he was on could be considered short in comparison to the buildings that New York was famous for. But even still, there was sixteen stories beneath him, and had he been a normal human being, a drop would have killed him. As it was, he had his webs handy with a full new cartridge of web fluid, and he was going to enjoy his swing back home.

“So Karen,” He called as he launched himself off the building head first. He would hear about it from Tony later; the man would complain the footage had made him dizzy and he hadn’t even been the one twirling and free falling. He would demand that Peter not threaten his life, and use the fact that Peter never knew when vertigo would hit as an excuse to show his concern. Peter loved it. “Anything we can take care of on the way home?” His arm shot out at the last moment to cast a web to another building.

Below him, people pointed up and cheered, clapping loudly as he waved down at them. It was one of the biggest rewards about being Spider-Man. 

Don’t get him wrong, Peter absolutely loved being able to spend time with THE Tony Stark and Captain America. Hell, he had even been speechless for like a month around Bruce Banner, but they had all been expected to save the world. It fell into their hands because they were known personally to have the power to do it. No one had the same expectations for Spider-Man because he wasn’t rich. He wasn’t publicly known in his private life, so there were no expectations for him to show up. 

And yet, New York adored him. They applauded him even if he slammed face first into a building—like he was about to. Thank god for Karen, right?

She changed his trajectory at the last moment with an admonishing sigh.

“Please pay attention, Peter.” She tsked far more humanly than he had ever thought possible. She had been sharing too much code with FRIDAY, he decided with a pout and a final wave.

“I am paying attention!” Peter squawked softly as he swung towards the Brooklyn bridge back towards his own home. He had just reached the spectacular piece of architecture when his senses blared violently at him. The hairs on his arms stood up so fast and sharply that is hurt. Tinnitus set in; screaming in his ears causing the teenager to feel as though his ear drums were about to break open to the world. “Jesus!” He yelped landing violently on the walkway, hands clasped over his head as he glanced around for the cause.

“Peter, are you alright?” Karen had immediately dulled her voice with the spike in the vigilante’s vitals. “Should I alert Mr. Stark?”

“No,” Peter ground out, his eyes darting around for the source of his response. Something big and bad was about to happen; otherwise his senses wouldn’t have immediately gone haywire. But there was no one to be seen; no immediate danger that screamed to Peter to fixitfixitfixit. “I...Scan the area.” His teeth clacked, and reverberated inside his skull making everything that much worst.

“Scan complete. There is a group of four people in a black Hyundai Elantra that have just robbed a bank Peter. There are also three people on the building to the left, six blocks over that have been watching you.” 

“That’s kind of creepy, Karen.” Peter groaned turning to find the speeding vehicle pushing its way up an avenue that was packed full of tourists that were jumping to get out of the way. “Keep a scan on them. We need to stop this first.” Cursing quietly, he switched his path quickly, swinging down lower towards the street until he was swinging right along side the car. “Hey!” He waved at the masked man behind the wheel. “Hey, man! Look, I haven’t even taken my driver’s test, but I’m pretty sure this isn’t how you pass it!” Peter reached out, rapping his knuckle on the window of the speeding vehicle. The driver jumped, turning to stare at the red and blue web slinger.

“The fuck,” He whispered, glancing forward only long enough to decide to make a quick right hand turn at a busy intersection. 

Peter groaned, tossing a web at a building to make a slightly wider turn. He barely missed swinging into the giant glass windshield of a city bus, before he attached a web to the car. Out of all of the crimes that Peter found himself stopping, run away cars were his least favorite. They usually left him with bruised ribs, and hands so raw and sore that he worried his healing factor wouldn’t fix it. And then there was always the inevitable crash that Peter would narrowly escape just after webbing up the bad guys to a city post.

The whole incident made headlines in less than twenty minutes.

Just like tonight’s incident would. He would be accused of causing far too much damage to the city in the morning, never mind the fact that Peter had put the bad guys behind bars.

“What the hell is going on?” The man yelled to his partner as he glanced around anxiously. Peter could hear the man’s heart thundering in his chest. It was just as loud to the spiderling as the rush of wind as the car picked up speed. Sirens seemed to surround him as the vehicle turned left down an alley, before pulling out the other side only to turn left again.  
“Just get across the bridge,” The man’s partner hissed as he reached into a duffle bag. Peter didn’t need to hear the weapon click in to place to know that the man was reaching for a gun. It was a common occurrence when handling something like that. After all, it wasn’t like they would go into a bank with toy guns and get the response that they wanted. “I’ll take care of the insect.”

“Great,” Peter groaned pinching the bridge of his nose. He wasn’t exactly looking froward to having to dance around the roof of the car in order to avoid the bullets that would no doubt start firing from below him. “Karen, how far do I have before they get to the bridge?”

“About three miles, Peter. But there is a lot of traffic as well. Congestion is high with the news of the police chase.” The AI’s voice eased through the mask. Peter groaned heavily, glancing in the direction of the bridge before the first bullet was fired.

It shouldn’t have been surprising as it was, but the sound of the first gunshot startled the spider so bad that he nearly fell off of the vehicle he was desperately trying to cling to.

“Alright Spidey,” Peter mumbled to himself scrambling along the top of the car to avoid the bullets that were firing for him. “Time to end this quickly, before I’m late.” He sighed heavily punching in the rear window of the car and sliding in while the criminals inside were surprised. “Now, now, hasn’t your mother ever taught you about gun safety?” Peter flipped his wrist, shooting webbing towards the weapon, before jerking it into his grip and tossing it out of the window behind him. “Jeez, the safety wasn’t even on!” Peter threw his hands in the air with a scoff as if he were the disappointed parent.

He had certainly been hanging out with Mr. Stark too much.

“What the...”

“Holy shit, that’s Spider-Man!” The first man whimpered as his foot slammed on the break, nearly sending all passengers through the windshield. 

“Again! Pretty sure that is NOT how you pass a driver’s test!” Peter groaned, tugging his fingers free of the foam where he had stopped himself from flying forward. 

“You should quit with the chit chat kid,” Tony’s voice boomed from the speakers inside the mask. “What even are you doing up right now? It’s past curfew.” Peter groaned glaring at the criminals that were currently arguing among themselves.

“They were getting away, Mr. Stark.” Peter sighed webbing the criminals to their seat belts—which prevented them from exiting the vehicles for the police. “I was on my way home when I saw them.”

“You should let the police handle it kid,” Tony reprimanded. Peter could almost imagine him crossing his arms in that I am disappointed in the choice you just made stance that came with all of his bad choices.

“I’m heading home now,” The teenager flinched at the pout in his voice. “Besides, it was on the way home! They got me to, what was it Karen? Three miles from the Brooklyn Bridge?”

“Brooklyn?! What are you doing that far out!? Queens, kid. We agreed Queens only while I was gone!” Tony grumbled. A loading screen popped up in the right hand corner for Peter’s HUD screen.  
“It’s fine Mr. Stark,” Peter mumbled, shooting a web to the brake of the car so that the vehicle wouldn’t accidentally lurch forward at any point. “I’m on my way home!”

“Kid, if Aunt Hottie calls me...I swear...I will ground you from the lab for a month!” 

“Don’t worry Mr. Stark,” Peter huffed crossing his arms over his chest as he stood through the rear window of the car. However, the subtle feeling of being watched or in danger didn’t dissipate as he flung a web towards the roof of a near by building. “I’ll make sure Aunt May knows you called and threatened to ground me. But I’m sure she won’t even noticed!” 

May had, after all, a date with a certain someone tonight, and Peter was damned for hell or high water if he was going to be the reason it got interrupted.

Mostly, because he didn’t want to be the one to deal with an unhappy happy if he did.

“Hm...You better kid. I need a tinkering partner, and Dum-E won’t cut it anymore. Now get your ass--” A shout of language from behind Tony alerted the teenager to Steve’s presence. “Now get you butt,” Peter could imagine the glare Tony was throwing over his shoulder at the still semi-rogue avenger. “Home so I don’t have to worry anymore! My heart can’t handle it kid.”

A pang of guilt shot through Peter’s chest as he thought of the insinuation behind the remark. He knew Tony hadn’t exactly been feeling his best as of late, and he hated the thought that perhaps he was making it worst.

“Right, I’m sorry Mr. Stark. I’m on my way home.”

“Damn right you are,” Tony grunted with a sigh. “I’m tracking you to make sure.” 

Peter rolled his eyes fondly, throwing a quick glance over his shoulder, making sure there really wasn’t any danger before he launched himself off the side of the building and towards the bridge. Even getting further away from the duo trapped in the car, the tiny hairs on his arms still didn’t go down. The sense of danger still buzzed at the base of his neck, and was quickly working its way down his spine. 

“Karen,” Peter mumbled, shooting his webs out to catch onto the nearest support beam of the bridge. He could expect a phone call from May soon; she was always on time, and always gave him an extra twenty minutes over curfew for him to contact her. During the summer, she had been pretty lenient, allowing him to stay out just a little bit later, but the fall semester was starting up in exactly two weeks, and he was supposed to be getting back on schedule. “Send a message to may that I’m going to be--” A searing pain reared its way up his ribs before settling in place just under his scapula. His muscles spasmed heavily, forcing his release on the web that held up above the chilling waters. “Shit shit, ow, shit.”

“Peter, your suit has been compromised. A severe electrical shot has altered some of the currents. Sending emergency diagnosis to Mr. Stark.” 

“No, no,” Peter groaned before remembering to shoot another web just in time. The sudden halt in his descent jerked his shoulder of it’s socket in a painful stunt. “Damnit,” He gasped bringing his free hand up to cup his injured shoulder. “Shit,” He whispered trying to catch his breath.


	2. Warned

Chapter Two: Warned

Tony was sitting alone on the veranda of the hotel when the phone call came. Karen’s name flashed momentarily, just before a set of coordinates popped up. Tony frowned, glancing down at the screen of his phone in curiosity. The kid was supposed to be heading home, not heading towards the state’s boarder. 

The inventor shot to his feet, turning in time to face Captain America, and his boy toy, James Buchanan Barnes. A sense of dread, and a bit of disgust worked its way up into his chest as he watched the rogue avengers approach; or really, one ex-rogue avenger, one ex-mind controlled asshole. He pursed his lips, arms crossing across his chest in order to make him look larger and taller than he was. After all, he needed every bit of leverage when dealing with the one and only Captain America. 

“Tony,” Steve sighed softly, brushing his hand through his blonde hair as if he was the one that was exhausted and ready to go home. As if he hadn’t been the reason that he had to run around the world in order to escape all of the people that had chased him. “How are you?” The beard that had taken over the bottom half of Cap’s face looked out place and unmaintained. 

“I’m tired,” Tony huffed tapping his thumb against the screen of his phone. He desperately wanted to check the messages; anything to put this whole situation on hold so that they didn’t have to continue the dance that had started in Germany. “But that’s nothing new. What about you Cap? You look as shitty as I feel.” 

Steve sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. Tony could almost see the guilt that he assumed ate away at the man before him. Almost. 

“Tony...Look,” Steve stepped forward. He probably expected Tony to step back, or to tense his jaw. Anything to show him that the Tony that he had taken down in Siberia was the same one standing before him now; strong, and determined. But that wasn’t exactly the truth.

No, instead, the Tony Stark that stood before him bristled when a pop song began to vibrate from the pocket of his Armani blazer. The inventor whipped the device out, glancing down at the screen with a creasing brow. He muttered something with an eye roll, before sliding his thumb across the glass and sliding the green phone to its spot.

“Kid? The hell are you doing still up?” 

Steve sighed pinching the bridge of his nose as he watched the Inventor’s face light up with amusement. It was a side of Tony that he only got to see when he was talking to that one person on the end of the line. And, drawing from context clues, Steve guessed that he was under age. 

The caller was also the reason that they couldn’t finish their meeting earlier. It had been rather annoying for him to find out that the meeting would have to continue into the next day, and would, therefore, mean that Steve and Bucky couldn’t get home and start a new life just yet. It was selfish, and everything that he had expected from Tony. But, what he hadn’t expected the look of panic that crossed the man’s face instead of the fondness he had expected.

“Kid?” Tony jerked the phone away from his face, checking the screen to make sure that they were still connected; that Kid hadn’t hung up just yet. “Hey, kid. Not funny.”  
Heaving a sigh, Steve stepped away, dragging Bucky with him. It was probably better to give the man some privacy, let him handle whatever battle he was choosing over Steve. 

“He seems upset,” Bucky hummed beside the super soldier. His own arms were crossed over his chest as he watched the shorter man pace in the distance, phone held tightly to his ear. It was a stark contrast to the man who had chased him and shot at him angrily. The man that he was watching now was riddled down with stress, aging ten years every day his eyes opened.

“It’s probably just something at the company.” Steve waved his hand dismissively. He had become decisively bitter since the entire situation. Bucky had noticed that his friend was far grouchier than he had been when this entire endeavor started. His shoulders slouched more, and the way that his suit was lax on him, he wasn’t eating near as much as he should have. “He’ll have it figured out in like a minute or so.”

Both men watched as Tony hung the phone up, his jaw tight and shoulders tense. There was a slight tremble as he stormed towards the two soldiers who stood up awaiting direction; awaiting the attempt to talk and figure out the rest of the meeting so that they could go in as a team tomorrow morning and fight the media.

They were ignored. Tony stalked right past the duo, dialing away at his phone while chatting to the AI stuck in the glasses that he constantly wore.

“Tony?” Steve called turning on the balls of his feet to follow along. “Hey!”

“Friday, send the Mark thirty eight. Scan the street, and track the kid’s phone. What the hell is happening over there?” Stark ground out as he darted around a corner and rushed down a hall. Steve rushed in order to keep up with the inventor—not that it was hard for his longer legs.

“It seems as though someone is currently trying to kidnap Spider-Man,” A British voice called from the surrounding PA system of the hotel. How the man had managed do get into a ritzy hotels PA system was far beyond Steve’s understanding, but he wasn’t as impressed as he should have been, nonetheless.

“Alright,” Tony sighed pinching the bridge of his nose pulling up Peter’s HUD feed on the T.V Screen. The kid was currently being pulled up towards the landing of the Brooklyn Bridge. Three figures surrounded his destination, one pulling on the taught string of webs that was still attached to the kid. “Get up Mark 53...get it out there too. How close is Mark 38?”

“What’s going on?” Steve questioned as he came to rest beside the inventor and stare intently at the screen. 

“Someone is trying to take my damned kid,” Tony barked watching the corner of the screen for that small tell tale sign that the mark was getting close. 

“You have a kid?” Bucky’s brow furrowed in confusion as he tried to process the information. His mind was still muddled from the mind wipe that Hydra had performed. Coming out of it, and after explaining it all to Steve, he realized that the mind wipe had fritzed and frizzed parts of his brain that would prove otherwise useful.

“In a sorts,” Tony mumbled gripping the phone in his hand tightly. His eyes scanned the screen before him, staring down the background. Mentally, he counted down the seconds before a relieved sigh escaped his lips. The first Mark was getting close if the tell tale glow was to be believed. “Friday, put me in contact with Karen.”

“Attempting to connect boss.”

“Tony,” Steve frowned pushing forward to look at the screen. “What is this?” 

“Boss,” Friday buzzed. “I am unable to connect to Karen. She has short circuited.”

“Short...What kind of tech are they using?!” Tony frowned rubbing his jaw line anxiously. He ignored Steve Roger’s completely, eyes focused solely on the screen.

“Ugh...That was so not nice, guys.” Peter’s voice broke over the screen. The hackles raised along Tony and Steve’s back at the youth. 

“Spider-Man?” Steve frowned turning to glare at the man before him. “Why do you have Spider-Man pulled up?”

“Shush,” Tony growled turning his attention back to the screen. The kid was stumbling, and struggling to stay up right—which didn’t surprise the inventor. With the way the kid’s vitals had been, and the fact that there was so much noise and distractions on the bridge, he was getting over stimulated. “Kid? Can you hear me still?”

“Mister Stark?” Peter breathed, kinda slumping over to catch his breath. 

“Shit,” Someone hissed in the background. “Gotta hurry it up, Misha. Daddy has been called.” The kid turned to face the figures that had attacked him, his breath catching in his throat. His blood pressure jetted up as the adrenaline kicked back in.

“Fine,” The largest man, Misha, stepped forward. “Ksenia...disable him.” The man waved a hand freely towards the teenager. Peter glanced towards the thinner man, stepping forward holding two u-shaped weapons; the kid’s heart rate sky rocket.

“H-hey...No need for alien tech man.” The kid held his hands up just as the Mark 38 landed beside him. Tony pursed his lips switching from the kids POV to the suit’s view.

“Leave the kid alone.” The suit’s arm outstretched in front of the semi-mangled spider in a protective stands.

“Now, now,” Misha sighed heavily dragging a hand over his head. “We simply only want...One thing.” The man rolled out of the way just as the third person launched behind him. The female had her hand raised with gun aimed directly at Tony—who didn’t flinch away. 

“Alien tech? Really? That’s still out there?” The mark shook it’s head, handing raising to swipe the guy away from the female.

“Now,” Tony sighed stepping away from the television. His shoulder’s relaxed softly as he drug a hand over his face. The Mark 53 was a speck in the distance, and would arrive on scene soon enough. “What can I do for you cap?” The short brunette collapsed onto the couch, throwing a glance to the screen every couple of seconds to double check the situation. If Steve hadn’t been there, his full attention absolutely would have been on the teenager.

“I want to get this figured out now, so when we go into the council tomorrow,” Steve crossed his arms over his chest. He lips pursed into a thin line as he clenched and relaxed his jaw. The only sign of stress was the movement of his beard.

“Don’t worry,” Tony waved his hand, before dragging a hand over his face. “I didn’t work all this time to get you guys home for nothing. By nine am tomorrow morning, you and lover boy can fly back home...LEGALLY, and get back to whatever nineteen forties drama you came from.”

On the screen, Peter had just kicked one of the attackers over the edge of the bridge, and like a good little spidey, webbed him up just before he could hit the icy waters of the river below. He was too good to be a super hero. If it were Tony, he would have blasted them with a few grenade webs, and be done with it.

“I know….I know you worked hard Tony, but how can we fight for ourselves if you won’t provide the arsenal?” Steve sighed allowing himself to sit on the lounge chair across from Tony. “I know we ended on bad terms, but Tony, please...understand that I need to get back. There’s something...”

“Hydra is coming back.” Bucky stepped forward, his eyes darting around the room anxiously. “They’re going to plan an attack somewhere. It’s who we’ve been fighting since the whole...uh...”

“Germany.” Tony provided sharply. If Pepper hadn’t drilled it into him that it would be absolutely rude to roll his eyes at every comment that exasperated him, he certainly would have. “Also, not helping your case. You’re their dream child,” Tony leaned forward, brows furrowing together. “They’re after you. If I were you, which thankfully, I’m not. But if I were, I wouldn’t bring this shit home. I’d stay out here running around until the entire thing was taken care of.”

Steve blanched at the rudeness that had come out of Tony’s mouth. The inventor, as far as Steve had known, had never been outwardly rude to anyone. It always carried too much of a risk for PR. All it would take would be one accidentally leaked video of Tony fussing one of the Avengers for him to turn into the bad guy—not that he wasn’t already.

“Yeah, well that was the plan.” Bucky sighed glancing just above Tony’s head and fixating on a point. It was a grounding technique that he had been taught by King T’Challa himself. If he focused on something that wasn’t the problem, then his mind wouldn’t short circuit. “But they’re heading back. They’re going after more victims...trying to create the ultimate super sold--”

“Boss,” FRIDAY’s voice interrupted the trio. “Spider-Man’s suit has shut down.” 

“What?” Tony frowned shooting up from his position. He shoved the super soldier aside, to get a view of the screen; where Peter lay wounded on the ground, and his Marks were nowhere to be seen. His mask was still on, but the light in his mask had gone out as he struggled to get away from the man.

“H-hey look,” Peter whispered holding his hand up. “We...You don’t...” But the needle didn’t stop.


	3. Awake

Chapter Three: Awake

It all started with a violent burning sensation; beginning at the injection site and working its way out towards the tips of his fingers and toes. Electrical currents seemed to shoot through his limbs before settling in a bundle at the base of his skull; causing the young vigilante to slam his head back against the cement of the bridge. His mind had gone blank at the pain that surged violently through his body.

“Not...Okay!” His voice broke and cracked as the man in the mask laughed. His face doubling in the contortion, before merging back into one. Peter gasped deeply, hands struggling to find the surface of the bridge in an attempt to push himself up. If his attackers were still here, then he wasn’t exactly out of danger yet. “Not...Mr. Stark?” He keened, grinding his teeth together as he forced himself up. The muscles in his legs twitched violently, nearly sending him over the side of the bridge again. But thick hands caught his shoulders, steadying him before sitting him back against a pylon.

“Net,” The man laughed softly, dragging a hand over the masked head of the teenager. “Not yet my little pauk. There is a message remember?”

And he did; somewhere in the muddled mess that was currently his mind. The burly man turned to one of the villains beside him, pointing at one of the downed marks, and yelling something in Russian—none of which Peter really understood besides no and spider; common phrases when Natasha found herself bored and at the compound; also, the Russian mafia that seemed to fill some of the darker streets in New York.

“M’sge?” Peter’s words were as slurred and sluggish as his movements now. Whatever he had been injected with, his metabolism had been taken into consideration. If it were a typical poison, or drug, his body would have burned it off by now. At least, that was what all of the studies in the lab had provided the young arachnid with. 

Tony had been far more entertained by the prospect, meaning to save all of the information he gathered for Bruce whenever the clever doctor returned.

“Yes, my little Pauk,” A hand caressed his face softly and in a manner that made Peter infinitely uncomfortable. The way that his gloved fingers hooked under the soft mask, brushing against the skin that was both too hot and too cold seemed to send the teenager over. Peter’s eyes rolled into the back of his head as he was thrown back into the throws of a seizure. His arms shot out before clenching back into his chest, and his legs kicked violently in front of him, barely missing Misha. “Tsk, tsk,” He sighed softly, placing thick hands on the teenagers shoulders.

“Start recording,” He turned towards the smallest assailant. “Tony should be with Asset right now.” 

The words were all lost and muddled inside of Peter’s head. His back arched painfully, before deciding to settle against the cement in relief. His breaths were coming in sharp gasps as he glared at Misha through his mask—the lenses squinting in annoyance as he wheezed.

“Hello, Gospodin Stark!” Misha laughed wholly, his shoulders shaking in the mirth that he found in the situation. “How are you tonight? Busy getting Asset home I hope!” The man paused dramatically, his hand resting on Peter’s forehead. “I am sure you have seen everything thus far! Your little Pauk put up such a good fight, but alas...he was no match!” He laughed again; the sound reminding Peter of a very evil Santa.  
“M’s’r...St’rk...”Peter groaned heavily, eyes rolling around under the mask. He was sure that Karen—even with her systems and connections shut down—was recording it in order to send it to Tony after he got home.

“Now, now” Misha turned and slapped a hand over his mouth. The vigilante didn’t really have the energy to fight him on it, and remained silent. His energy had been spent, and the day’s activities was catching up with him. “Don’t waste your energy! Our last hide was destroyed,” He turned to face the Iron Man Mask. “Wasn’t it, Asset? I’m sure you’re seeing this too. But we decided to go forward! Create a new serum,” He turned back to the down vigilante and hummed softly. “We’d love to have him in our control, but for now, we don’t have the medical team to ensure his survival.” Misha waved his hand flippantly as Peter convulsed slightly, fists clenching by his side. “But you do, Mr. Stark. So for now, we’re leaving Pauk with you. But don’t think this is the last of it.” Misha smirked, standing and sending a kick to Peter’s head.

The teen didn’t stand a chance at the darkness that converged from every corner.

 

“Jesus christ,” Tony whispered watching the feed from the helmet. All color had left his face at the first scream of pain from his kid.

His kid.

His. Fucking. Kid.

Hydra had messed with his kid. And if they thought Steve and Bucky hunting them down was going to be bad...well Tony had far more money he could spend on resources than the rogue avengers that stood tensely in the room beside him.

“Tony,” Steve whispered anxiously, carding a hand through his already mussed hair. “We need to get back home.”

“Damn skippy,” Tony growled glancing at his watch. “FRIDAY, call an emergency meeting. Let’s get these damned papers signed. And send Happy and Rhodes to pick up the kid. Get Cho on her way over there, now. I want to know what they fucking poisoned my kid with.”

“On it boss,” FRIDAY’s voice boomed around the room. 

Three hours later saw the group—Tony, Pepper, Steve, Bucky, and Wanda—flying home in Tony’s fastest jet. His hands fidgeted and his foot tapped the plush carpet all the way back. His nerves were on fire, and his anxiety was reaching that of the Obi stage. 

“Tony,” Pepper whispered putting her hand on his knees. A look of concern filtered through her face as she glanced at him. “It’ll be okay...We’ve got Pet—Spider-Man’s readings...He’s stable, and nothing is showing up weird in his blood work.”

“That doesn’t mean anything when it comes to Hydra,” He whispered breathlessly. “They’ll stop at nothing. I mean...They’ve been chasing Bucky since the forties.” His thumb jerked to the sleeping man a few rows behind him. The glare that was shot in his direction by Wanda did little to help him. “Red Witch...I swear...”  
“Leave him alone,” Steve reprimanded softly. “He’s getting us home.”

“Home,” Wanda scoffed crossing her arms over her chest. “We won’t even be welcomed there for another three months. The public thinks--”

“Who gives a fuck about the public?!” Tony snapped struggling to get the buckle off his lap. Why hadn’ he installed voice commands in these damned things yet? What if they were about to crash and he was the only one who could pilot the plane to safety? “My kid was fucking attacked...My kid.” Tony jabbed his thumb into his chest as he glared at the red haired young woman. Had he been in a better mood, he’d have noted with a worried glance at how the woman had aged significantly in her time on the run. As it were, though, he could give a rat’s ass. 

Good thing they were in abundance in New York. 

Which—he snorted softly—they were approaching quickly.

“Kid?” Wanda frowned looking between the two men she had traveled with. 

“Spider-Man,” Steve corrected with a nod of his head. “We got a notification when we were going over the contract with Tony last night.” 

A scowl formed on the red head’s mouth as she crossed her arms and retreated into herself. A practice she had picked up on the run. If she got too stressed out, or her emotions got to be too much, she found that if she forced the feelings inwards, and held them in...it was safer in general.

The plan fell into a rather hostile, and uncomfortable silence after.

One that wasn’t broken until the song Milkshake erupted from Tony’s phone—quickly earning an amused snort from a certain emo pouting redhead.

“Oh my god,” Tony whispered nearly shoving his face into his hand. However, the name that popped up eased so much anxiety that he almost melted. “Kid,” He whispered answering with tears building in the corner of his eyes. And fuck, when had the kid gotten so close to him? Just a summer ago, he was all over the world and only sending suits. When the kid got injured, he sent a drone or happy to double check. Now he was forcing meetings and rushing back at the drop of the hat. “I swear to god, if you don’t keep your paws off my phone. I’m going to hack into your laptop and air out all your dirty laundry.”

“You’ll be disappointed, Mr. Stark,” The kid chirped back. His voice was raspy and fresh with sleep. But he was alive, and not electrocuted anymore. “All you’ll find are decathalon answers!”

“Just because you put up the private server does not mean--”

“Mr. Stark!!!” Peter blurted, and Tony could imagine the flush rising to the kid’s cheek before guffawing and sinking into the seat. “Jeez! I was just calling to see where you are and you go full dad mode!”

“Of course! Who else do you think will take care of you? And me...because I am NOT about to be explaining another black eye from Hottie May!” Pepper slapped his upper arm with a playful smile, and a shake of her head.

“Uh yea...About that...”

“Tony Stark!” A squawk in the background sent Tony reeling away from the phone with a not to muttered curse.

“Nope! Sorry kid, love you, gotta go!” Tony couldn’t recall the last time he had hit the red phone button that fast. “So,” He said turning around in his seat to face the rest of the Avengers. “First mission when we land,” He hummed a warmth filling his chest as the current threat was taken care of; or at least Spider-Man was alive, awake, and currently dealing with his own throttling. “You have to save me from hottie May.”

“Who?” Steve questioned, a curious frown contorting his face. He never, in his current life, thought he would have heard those words leave Tony Stark’s mouth. But, then again, there had been a lot he hadn’t expected in the past twenty-four hours. Hell, all he wanted was to be able to go home and curl up in a bed that belonged to him.

But did he even have that anymore? Hadn’t Tony kicked them out after the whole accords thing? 

No.

Not formally at least. But he couldn’t expect the man to just willingly open up his home to them again, either. That would be too much to ask of him. Heaving a sigh, he leaned back into the comfort of the jet’s seat and rested his eyes. Might as well get some sleep before he has to deal with whatever awaits them on the tarmac of the tower—or compound. Or wherever the hell Tony was bringing them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;) I've never said how much I absolutely appreciate all of the support that I get for my writing! <3 and I absolutely love it! I've always wanted to be a writer, and had such a hard time finishing anything, but this has helped significantly! I hope you guys continue to enjoy the stories I post!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Winter Soldier

Stepping off the private jet at the compound had almost been a slap in the face to Steve. The last time he had been part of the team, they were all staying at the tower in the center of the city. He could step onto the roof and drop down into the fray of a fight at the snap of a finger. So to see everything had been moved: Tony’s home base, the lab, all of his own things that he had abandoned at the tower, all of the tech they had gathered from fighting the Chitauri. It was all different and yet the same.

But, that was much like him. On the outside, he was still very much the same person; thick blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. But on the inside, and in his mind, he was different. He had stood up for what he believed in, and it had backfired on him. And yet, he couldn’t find himself feeling guilty for turning his back on everyone in order to do the one selfish thing for himself.

“Steve?” Bucky pursed his lips tightly as he stared straight ahead. Sometimes, it was better for him to focus on nothing, than to try and understand everything. Especially when he found himself getting overwhelmed with certain situations. 

“Yeah?” The blonde crossed his arms over his chest as if to protect himself from whatever was passing inside of his head. It was a stupid habit that he had started when they were kids, and everyone would pick on him. Cross his arms, hunch his shoulders and sneer at the world. He always thought it made him look tuff, but Bucky always read right through it.

“You okay?” The Winter Soldier clenched his jaw glancing around. “It’s a lot to take in.” His own gray eyes glanced around the metallic walls of the compound. 

Steve, following his best friends movement, felt an overwhelming surge of sadness fill his chest. He never thought, in all of the days that he had spent on the run, that he would miss the way the tower looked, smelled, and operated on a daily basis. He never imagined himself missing the slightly chipped wall corner that Thor constantly cracked his hammer against. Or that he would miss the scratches on the steel counter top of the island in the center of the kitchen from a night of fun. In a sense, Steve was missing what he had considered his home.

“It really is--”

“Where is my nephew!?” A feisty brunette woman stormed into the compound door. The purse that was slung across her chest slapped against her hip. She wasn’t the tallest person, but Steve certainly wouldn’t use the word petite to describe her.

“Uh...” Steve blanched staring at her. The fire that was burning behind her dark brown eyes had thrown him off the moment she had gotten close. 

She was a woman to be reckoned with.

 

“Ma’am...I uh...I think,” Steve glanced at Bucky for help. Said friend, simply stepped away and decided it was best to look at anything else in the room except for the woman in front of them. Go figure.

“You think what?” She snapped crossing her arms. “You think I can’t take care of my nephew because he’s here? Is that it? Are you going to lecture me on--”

“May,” Happy eased in from an entrance to a hallway that Steve hadn’t had the heart to explore yet. The woman turned, her fury dying almost instantly as the man approached her. His face was contorted in mild concern as he reached out and draped his arm over her in a hug. “This way. Tony has Cho checking on him.” He glanced over his shoulder at Steve, jaw clenched as if debating to invite him alone. 

And then Steve saw the shadow as his eyes squinted just a bit. He was remembering the shape that Tony had come back in; probably the way the man had groaned in pain as he squirmed on the stretcher and made his way back to Germany for treatment. He remembered the way that Tony’s face had looked before it had all gone to hell, and how Rhodey had been before he was knocked from the sky. In that one moment, Steve saw everything that he had probably done wrong in Happy’s eyes, and the man turned away deciding to say nothing. And wasn’t that heroic in itself?

Happy very easily could have made a deal about Tony going to meet with him and Bucky; could have caused a huge scene on the helipad. Or he even could have had the jet flown to a public airport and had a media frenzy set up when they landed. The flashes of the camera could have easily set Bucky off. After all, he was still fidgety around bright flashes and foreign words, and Steve couldn’t blame him.

But the tension that he had caused, and the rift between Steve and Tony was almost unbearable. They had been very close before the whole situation.

And it left Steve wondering if it was worth it.

At any given moment, he would have said yes. Absolutely. Bucky was his best friend, and his world. The man with the shaggy black beard, and scraggly beard; with the metal arm and the same pain in his eyes that Steve had once had in his was everything to him. Bucky, was essentially, all he had left of his past, and he wasn’t willing to let that go.

Not even for Tony.

So the man crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the distorted room before him. His mind kept flashing back to the tower, and the memories that were held in the penthouse.

“Jesus christ,” A new voice broke through the silence as Tony rushed towards the freezer, his tanned hand covering the red mark on his cheek. “Hottie May has a damn left hook, who knew.” He reached into the cabinet digging around. His focus was strictly on whatever it was that he was searching for; an avoidance technique that the super soldier had seen before.

“That was the woman?” Bucky questioned, his head tilted in curiosity. Steve bristled a bit, waiting for some snappy retort. It was expected at this point, Tony was bound to do something irritating soon.

“Yeah! Like, jeez, sometimes I wonder if I should worry about Happy...If he makes her angry one day,” Tony shook his head with a fond smile gracing his face. It was another reminder to Steve of just how much everything had changed in his life. Of how he had been born in an era that was considered ‘vintage’, and how he had been injected with the perfect soldier serum, and he went to Germany. Of how he had fallen into ice, and been frozen while everyone else he loved died. It reminded him of the rift between him and his friend, and how he wanted nothing more right now than to make amends, and get everything back to where it needed to be, because for one, Steve felt like he was without a family.

“Tony,” He sighed softly, stepping forward and allowing his arms to drop. “Can we--”

“Boss, Spiderling is awake, and May would like for you to bring her a tea from the fridge.” Friday’s voice echoed in the room—one of the few things that hadn’t changed.

Tony seemed to perk at the mention of the arachnid themed super hero that Steve had met only once in Germany. 

“Sweet,” The brunette chirped—which he would vehemently deny if it ever got out to the media. “Does Spider Kid want anything to eat? Ya know what, scratch that. Of course he does. Friday, order schwarma! And some Pad Thai for Hottie May.”

“Ordering Schwarma, and Pad Thai for Hottie May.” Friday hummed mischievously. Since when had the AI developed so much? How had Tony managed to get an artificial intelligence to have some kind of emotion?

“You had better just put May on that order! I swear, if they buzz in and you call her Hottie May!” Tony huffed grabbing several bottles of water, bags of chips, cookies, and finally a pre-made sandwich from the refrigerator.

“Of course not boss. I would never.”

“Liar...Who taught you to lie?! Was it Pet-Spidey?” Tony seemed to catch himself on the name.

“I have been requested not to share that information.”

“That cheater!” Tony squeaked as if he was scandalized. “I am going to ban his privilege of creating codes! He is going to be grounded!” The inventor stormed towards the door that lead towards the hallway that May and Happy had disappeared in.

“He’s changed,” Bucky whispered after the door slid shut behind the man. His chocolate eyes wandered around the room, then landed on the other brunette. 

Steve inhaled deeply, trying to get as much cooling air into his chest as possible. It was another adjustment he would simply have to get used to. If he could figure out how to work a cell phone, and how to connect to the internet, then adjusting to the personality change of Tony and the change in scenery of the compound, then he could do it.

“You aren’t wrong...All of this change is overwhelming...but,” He exhaled heavily, dragging a hand through his mussed hair. “We’ll just have to take it one day at a time, right?”

Bucky hummed softly; the sound vibrating throughout the room as he glanced his friend up and down. Steve was hardly holding it together, but if either of them were going to be okay after everything that has happened so far, it would be Steve. 

It would HAVE to be Steve. Because Bucky would make sure it would be.

It was well into the night when Tony came back into the room with a skinny teenager draped over his shoulder. The kid looked worst for wear, and scraggly. He reminded the Winter Soldier very much of Steve when they were kids.

“Mr. Stark,” The kid whined nasally; a slew of healing bruises lined his arms, and worked their way up his neck. “I’m hungry,” His words were slightly slurred as he stumbled along with the inventor chuckling behind him.

“I know kid, I know. That’s why we’re going to the kitchen.” Tony hummed amused as if we were used the voice, and the situation. “Friday, lights please!”

Steve jolted as the lights flashed on, and he wasn’t the only one. The kid hissed as the lights flashed into his eyes. 

“Dim! Dim!” The kid whispered shutting his eyes tightly and shoving his face into Tony’s shoulder. “Too quick, Friday!”

“I am sorry Petey Pie.”

“Oh my god,” The boy whined throwing his head back dramatically. “Seriously Mr. Stark? I am so changing your ringtone now.”

“Let the war begin kid,” Tony snarked back easily. And it shouldn’t have made Steve as jealous as it did. After all, the duo didn’t even know he had fallen asleep on the couch because he wasn’t sure where his room was anymore.

“Tony?” His garbled voice dragged from his throat as he rubbed sleep from his eyes. “What on earth...what time is it?”

“Shit, kitchen kid!” Tony ushered the extra body into the next room before turning to Cap, a flustered look of annoyance on his face. “Why on earth are you sleeping on the couch? You do know you have a room right?”

Ah, there was his Tony. 

There was some normalcy that he had craved all day.

“Sorry,” Steve yawned heavily, chest heaving and shoulders stretching in relief. “You never really showed me my room...Haven’t really explored either.”

“Right...” Tony sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Right...Sorry. Friday, would you show Captain America to his room please?”

“Of course, boss.”

“Whoa!” An excited yelp escaped from the kitchen. “Mr. Stark!! This guy has a metal arm!!”

Steve had never seen Tony look like such a deer caught in headlights.


End file.
